The National Information Technology Development Agency has warned that artificial intelligence-powered misinformation, deepfake videos and sophisticated cyberattacks could be used to manipulate Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Abdullahi, raised the concern on Wednesday during a press briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on preparations for the International Cybersecurity Conference 2026.
Abdullahi said the growing use of AI to generate convincing but misleading political messages poses a growing threat to public trust, information integrity, and national cybersecurity.
He said, “And now we are in an election period where people are using misinformation everywhere to manipulate. So that’s why we look at it. How can we defend our minds? Because today, as a hacker, it’s easier for me to hack humans than to hack systems.”
The NITDA boss explained that cybercriminals were increasingly exploiting human vulnerabilities through social engineering rather than relying solely on attacks against computer systems.
According to him, AI has made it easier to produce deceptive audio, videos and online content capable of influencing people’s decisions without their knowledge.
He warned that the widespread dependence on social media for news and information could expose Nigerians to coordinated misinformation campaigns, particularly during election periods.
“Imagine someone using AI-generated content, manipulating us, controlling what to see, what to believe, and so on,” Abdullahi said.
He urged Nigerians to exercise caution when consuming and sharing political information online, stressing that the authenticity of AI-generated content must be verified.
“Many people today will generate content, will generate political messages using AI. And as we are in an election period, people need to be mindful of what they see, what they believe, and what they share online,” he added.
Beyond election-related misinformation, Abdullahi warned that AI was transforming cybercrime by making attacks more sophisticated while also providing opportunities to strengthen digital security.
He explained that organisations increasingly relied on AI agents to automate business processes, creating new vulnerabilities that criminals could exploit.
“So imagine someone hijacking your AI agent. It’s like someone taking over control of your staff,” he said.
He noted that although AI could accelerate the detection and prevention of cyber threats, the same technology could enable more convincing scams and automated attacks.
Abdullahi also attributed a significant proportion of cybersecurity breaches to human mistakes, emphasising the importance of digital literacy and public awareness.
“More than 95 per cent of all cyber breaches are as a result of human error,” he noted.
He urged individuals and organisations to review AI-generated materials before circulating them, noting that even legitimate uses of AI required human oversight.
Speaking on the forthcoming conference, Abdullahi said the event had been upgraded from the National Cybersecurity Conference to an international gathering following growing interest from participants across Africa and beyond.
He explained that cyber threats transcended national boundaries and required cooperation among governments, businesses and international security organisations.
The conference, themed Cyber Resilience in the Age of AI: Defending Minds, Networks, and Nations, will examine emerging threats, including deepfakes, cognitive manipulation, cybercrime and attacks on critical infrastructure.
According to him, the event will feature 13 keynote addresses and 16 panel discussions, alongside a cybersecurity hackathon expected to attract about 1,946 participants from secondary schools, tertiary institutions, professional bodies and government agencies.
He identified the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Communications Commission among the principal partners.
Abdullahi said the conference would strengthen collaboration, develop local cybersecurity expertise and improve Nigeria’s capacity to anticipate, detect and respond to emerging threats.
He further stressed that cybersecurity was essential to Nigeria’s digital economy, warning that inadequate security could undermine confidence in electronic transactions.
According to him, concerns about online fraud already discourage some Nigerians from embracing e-commerce.
He urged public and private organisations to invest in cybersecurity, strengthen incident preparedness and incorporate security measures into digital infrastructure from the outset.
The NITDA boss also identified agriculture, financial services, education, healthcare and small businesses as sectors where responsible technology adoption could improve productivity and support economic growth.
He maintained that protecting digital systems and strengthening public trust would be critical to ensuring that Nigeria benefits from AI-driven innovation without exposing citizens and businesses to avoidable risks.